Littleton, MA Plumbing Guide: Materials Uses for Pipes

We don’t think much about the plumbing system in our homes, but they really are a cornerstone of modern life. Without them, we wouldn’t have hot water in our bathrooms or drinking water in our taps. Littleton, MA is an old community, which means that we can see the slow improvement in plumbing systems over the years and the way it’s improved our lives. The materials used in the system play a huge part in that.

Before 1960s, a lot of plumbing pipes were made from cast iron, which had the advantage of being durable and conducting temperature changes extremely well. Cast iron was prone to rust and corrosion, however, which obviously caused its share of problems. Galvanized steel was introduced, which avoids the issues of corrosion. However, galvanized steel doesn’t last as long as other material does, and today mostly appears in older homes as well.

For metal piping, copper remains the go-to material for home use. It’s flexible, it’s tough, it doesn’t rust or corrode and it conducts temperature changes extremely well. You’ll find copper in many modern homes today. Copper’s one drawback is that it costs more than other forms of piping, which can keep more modest homes from including them. Luckily, our modern age has produced plastic piping as well, which can be just as strong and durable as metal pipes. PVC piping, for instance, sees regular use in plumbing systems thanks to its strong-yet-inexpensive nature; however, can’t be used for hot water pipes. More recently, PEX piping has become popular for us in home plumbing system. It uses compression fittings and its immense flexibility doesn’t detract from its strength. It can also be used for both hot and cold water pipes.

No matter what kind of pipes used in your plumbing, you want a trained expert to treat it when problems arise. In Littleton, MA, pipes and plumbing issues can be answered by the technicians at Basnett Plumbing & Heating. Call us today; no matter what kind of pipes you have, we’ll make sure that you come away 100% satisfied with our work.